Immersive Storytelling
As mentioned earlier, this will be the first big narrative adventure for Housemarque. A shapeshifting alien planet, remnants of an ancient civilization, and a heroine in isolation – it all makes for a great foundation to build out the story of Returnal. The mysteries of Atropos are there to be discovered, and Selene’s never-ending cycle of life and death will be key to that.
Housemarque has already showcased some interesting narrative techniques players are set to experience in Returnal. You might, for example, see visions of the future in sporadic cinematic cutscenes that allude to various plot points yet to come. So, too, might you witness manifestations of Selene’s past. There’s even an occasional shift of perspective to first-person in key scenes, which is designed to enhance the immersion during poignant moments. Certainly, it seems as though the studio is doing its absolute best to tell a story that is unexpected in different ways.
In the latest HouseCast, Narrative Director Gregory Louden emphasized the use of “The Cycle” in Returnal as a narrative device.
With death not being an option, Selene’s journey allows for the development team to “question how a character reacts to being in The Cycle, how does their mindset evolves, how they react to the world,” and perhaps more intriguingly, how “the world reacts to them.” There are many possibilities in how Housemarque engages players in the story while blending gameplay seamlessly within the experience.
